Metal bed rail construction



Nov. 27, 1956 w. A. DUNCAN 2,771,616

METAL BED RAIL. CONSTRUCTION- Filed May 4, 1953 2 Shets-Sheet 1 M .100 106 E Q -P Pl I; INVENTOR.

Witt/19M A. Dl/IVCfi/Y .crramvzns METAL BED RAIL CONSTRUCTION William A. Duncan, Statesville, Homes Metal Works, Inc., Carolina Application May 4, 1953, Serial No. 352,861 3 Claims. (Cl. -286) N. C., assignor to Acme a corporation of North This invention relates to bed rails such as are used together with a head board and foot board for forming a bedstead, and in particular, to an improved form of metal bed rail construction that may be formed to simulate very closely the appearance of a wooden bed rail so as to be readily adaptable for use in wooden as well as metal bedsteads.

Briefly described, the bed rail construction of the present invention is characterized by an interlocked sheet metal structure that may be assembled readily without requiring any special securing operations, such as welding, and that nevertheless provides the full strength and sturdiness possible with a metal construction.

These and other features of the present invention are described in detail below in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. '1 is a fragmentary elevation taken in section through the head board and foot board of a bedstead incorporatinga bed rail embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail showing an end portion of the bed rail at the head board in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the line 33 in Fig. 2; i

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the line 4-4 in Fig. 2; l

Fig. 5 is aperspective view of a bed slat support bracket such as is shown associated with the bed rail in the other views of the drawings;

Fig. 6 is a further enlarged fragmentary detail corresponding generally to Fig. 2 but showing a modified embodiment' of the bed rail of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the line 7-7 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional detail line 8-8 in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is still a further enlarged fragmentary detail corresponding generally to Fig. 2 but showing an additional modified embodiment of the bed rail of the present invention;

Fig. 10 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the line 10-10 in Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the line 1111 in Fig. 9.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a fragmentary representation of a bedstead in which a head board B and a foot board B are seen in section assembled with a bed rail 100 embodying the present invention.

The particular structure of this bed rail 100 is illustrated more fully in Figs. 2 to 4, in which it is seen as comprising flat sheet metal plies 101 and 102 of a single piece of sheet metal forming, respectively, exposed and back faces of a Web portion for the bed rail 100, the plies 101 and 102 in this embodiment being disposed in face to face contact at the bed rail Web portion formed thereby. At the longitudinal edge of this web portion that will form the top edge of the bed rail 100 in use, the plies 101 and 102 are expanded to form a reinforcing bead as at 103.

taken substantially on the As illustrated in Fig. 3, this reinforcing bead 103 ma be readily formed with a lateral extent comparable to the usual thickness of a wooden bed rail, and be offset in wardly with respect to the web plies 101 and 102 so that the exposed face ply 101 extends flatly from the bottom to the top of the bed rail and thereby simulates closely the proportions and appearance of a solid wooden bed rail.

102 that will form the bottom edge of the bed rail 100 in use, each of the plies 101 and 102 are angled inwardly or backwardly away from the exposed face ply 101in the form of a right angle flange as at 104, with the flange edges overlapped and interlocked as at 105. In Fig. 3, this overlapping shown is accomplished by an extension of the bottom ply of the flange 104 beyond the edge of the upper ply thereof with the extended bottom ply edge portion folded or doubled over the top plyedge (although this arrangement might be reversed, Fig. 10).

extent of the flange 104 provides a firm interlocking 'of the flange plies and in turn results in securing the entire body of the bed rail 100 in form for use, without. the

necessity for any spot welding or other special or added securing operation.

To provide for assembly the bed rail 100 with a head board and foot board such as B and B in forming a bedstead, any usual 'form of mounting bracket as indicated at 106 may be secured at each end] of the bed rail web portion as by rivets 107 for hanging on head board and foot board assembly pins 'P- and P in the usual manner, the mounting brackets 106 being preferably used in identical form at each end of the bed rail web portion so that the bed rail 100 will be adapted without change for alternate right or left side installation.

the bed rail ends. For this 108 are formed with a hollow, rounded edge, cross section extending laterally of the bed rail 100 (compare Fig., 4), l

with attaching lips 109vand 110 extendingfrom theinn'er face thereof in spaced relation for disposition on. either.

side of the shanks of mounting brackets 106 and attachment therewith by the rivets 107 to the bed rail web portion. The outer face of the finishing flange 108 is formed with a central and vertically extending clearance aperture as at 111 for the mounting brackets 106, the brackets 106 being offset as at 112 within the hollow finishing flange 108 to assume a centrally extending disposition through this aperture 111. Also, top and bottom finishing lips 113 and 114 are arranged on the outer face of finishing flange 108 and rounded reentrantly in general correspondence with the hollow cross section of the flange proper.

The bed rail 100 may also be fitted easily at the bottom flange 104 thereof with bed slat support brackets 115 such as are shown in Fig. 5 formed with an anchoring shoulder portion 116 for interfitting at spaced apertures 117 provided in the bed rail flange 104 as seen best in Fig. 3.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings show a somewhat modified bed rail 200 embodying the present invention in which the outer and inner sheet metal plies 201 and 202 forming the bed rail web portion are centrally disposed in spaced relation to receive the shanks of the mounting brackets 203, and the attaching lips 204 and 205 of the finishing flange 206, therebetween for securing by the rivets 207. The top reinforcing bead 208 is arranged symmetrically at the top edge of the bed rail web portion in this embodiment, and the bottom flange 209 is formed with doubly interlocked edge portions as at 210 and with Patented Nov. 27, 1956 At the other longitudinal edge of the web plies 101 and 7 if desired, compare. Upon folding the plies of flange 104 in this. manner, the doubled ply may be clinched suificiently at 105 so that its frictional hold along the full longitudinal pie'ces-having-flat central longitudinal portions forming;

outer --and inne-r-'plies 301 and 302 of-the bed rail web portion, which are disposed in face to face contact as'intheafirstdescrib'ed embodiment above; In the case'of thisabedirail 300, however, the'outer webply301is formed-with an openbead'303 at the top edge-thereof and .the inner-web ply: 302 with a reentrant flange 304 interfitted'interiorly of the open bead-303 to form a composite:structure-comparable-to the top'reinforcingbead 103* inx the previously described-bed rail 100. The bottom edge portions of the web plies 301 and 302 are angled tozform a bottom flange 305 with the edges thereof inter lockcd as .at 306,1 and in which spacedapertures 307 are provided for bed-slat support brackets 308, all in the same mannerpreviously; described: Also; this modified bed rail '300 is :fittcdat each end with'mounting brackets 309 and" finishing flanges 310'seeured'thereto by rivets '311 as before.

The" present inventionh'as 'been described in detail" above for purposes of illustration only and-is not intended to b'e limited'bythis description or' otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1;, A metal bed rail for 'use with a head board anda foot board'in forming a-bedstead, said bed rail compris ingvtwo sheet metal plies having flat central longitudinal portions and disposed as a web portion for said bed rail,

said sheetmetal' plies forminginner and outer faces of the webportion and beingshapcd to form a reinforcing, bead alongrthe top-of said web portion, the lower edge of said web 'portionbeing angled in the form of a flange" extending inwardly away' fromtheouter face ply, and mounting brackets secured-t said web portion at the ends thereof for-assembling said bed rail with a head board' and atom board, said mounting brackets being secured toboth plies ofsaid web portion and thereby further serving to sccurethe structure of said bed rail in assembled relation.

2: A'metal bed rail for use with ahead board and a foot board informing a bedstead, said bed rail comprising two sheet metal plies having flat central longitudinal portionsand'disposedms a*webporti"on"for said'bed "rail; said sheet metal plies formitng inner and outer faces of the web portion and being shaped to form a reinforcing bead along the top of said web portion, the lower edge of said web portion being angled in the form of a flange extending inwardly awaytfr'omnthe outer face ply, mounting bracketssecured tosaid web pprtionatttheends thereof for assemblingsaidbed"rail'witlf a head board and a foot board, and finishing flanges: having: attacbinga lip sr disposedat botlrsides of.said mounting: brackets?- and secured therewith to said web portion and thercby'foming shrouds for said,brackets.,,andr trimming,,saidlbed rail ends, saidmounting brackets and finishing flanges both being secured to bothztpliesrofiisaichsvebfpprtion and thereby further serving to secure the structure of said bed rail in assembled relation.

3. A metal bed rail. for.use with a head board andfoot board in" forming arb'edtead,saidbedlrail'lcomprisingt a-pair of sheet metal 'pieces having flat 'central longitudi nal portions disposedin' face to .face. contact'asa web, portion forj'said bed rail, the outer. of Isaid longitudinall portions having' an inwardly" extending open.,b'ead "at one; longitudinal edge thereof and an inwardly extending; flange at the other edge thereof, the, inner xof 'saidTlongi tudinal portions having a ,reentrant flange atone longitudinalz-iedgethereof interfit'ted" interiorly'of the open b'eadi on' said outerlongitudinalportion and an inwardly-exit tending flange'at the,oth'er. edge thereof 'overlapp ecllandfi interlocked"withthe flange of saidouter longitudinal pertion at the extending edge thereof, andmountingbTack'ets secured-to 'said web'porti'on at the endslthereof for assembling saidbedrail with ahead board and a foot board,',. said mounting brackets being secured to both pliesioffsaid web portion and-thereby" further serving to secure'ttheh structure of said bed rail iirassem'bled relation.

References Gited in'the-file of "this "patent UNITED. STATES}, PATENTS 854,391 Voshardt May/21, 190 72" 984,823 Linden: ,Feb4-21, 1911 1,050,066 Lund ..Jan.-; 7,- 1913? 1,372,130 Frank! Mar. .22; 1921 1,892,427 Feathermani- .Dec::27,' 1932. 1,927,238 Lichty Sept;;,19,a1933x- 1,997,876 Sheldonv -r ,Apr.-16; 1935 2,098,676; Rafter tNov; 9,-1193fl't' 2,618,000: Harris Nov; 18;.1952n- 

